Your Wavering Image
by oniblessing
Summary: She was everything to him, and he would do anything for her. Even if it meant she would hate him for it... My take on Mass Effect 3's Shepard/Thane relationship.


**A/N: This is a little fic I wrote based on the decision software that makes up much of Mass Effect. Might become AU as my Shepard has a little more say in what goes on in her world. As always Bioware owns the characters and _ME _universe. All I own is my story. More chapters to come. Comments welcome! Anyone know a decent Beta let me know.**

His eyes focused on the image in front of him. Jaw clenched and arms ached as his body moved in motions so familiar that he didn't think there was a time they weren't He had perfected the art of observing the world around him so thoroughly he could hear every pound of his heart, every straining gust of air his lungs absorbed and every hitched breath coming from the shocked soldier behind him. He knew that he was purposefully blocking her aim of the would-be assassin in front of him. Her frustrated, angry gasps told him that he was being fairly successful. On the day that he had joined Normandy's crew, the day he had first laid eyes on his beloved Siha he knew that his arm, his body and his very soul would be hers, forever.

When he came upon the scene with the Salarian councilor he knew exactly who they were dealing with before Kai Leng had uttered a word. He was very familiar with the assassin's array of assorted and often brutal kills. His weapon of chose was a sword that was weighted and balanced to exact and precise killing methods. But what he chose to do instead was take a personal pleasure in 'bleeding' his victims slowly with serious but non-lethal wounds; In short causing his victims a much more painful and drawn out death. When he had seen Shepard at the Citadel and said his goodbyes Thane had truly believed that he would never see her again. He had told her otherwise to simply have her bestow that beautiful smile on him one last time. She had always been the optimistic one in their relationship. Thane would blame his melancholy state on his diagnosed Kepral Syndrome but he knew that only added to his naturally depressed state. She radiated with an authority and assurance that people clung to in dark times. She had proven her titles on many occasions: Spectre, The Great Commander Shepard, The Savior of the Citadel, and the Defeater of the Reapers… The list went on and on. But Thane had seen behind all that. She was more than the savior of her cycle, more than a great leader and politician. He had been a man lost in a battle-sleep, dead to the world and feelings within him. She was like the twin Stars that warmed the sands of his Drell home-world. When she rose there was not a place where shadows could hide.

He was momentarily drawn from his thoughts when Kai Leng lunged forward only to be blocked. Was this truly the best that the assassin had? Or was he just toying with Thane, drawing him out. Kai Leng worked for Cerberus, the same organization that had recruited Thane for the suicide mission, Kepral's Syndrom and all. They would have surely briefed Kai Leng on the debilitating disease. Thane would bet his last breaths that Kai Leng would insist on knowing everything about it. It would be a seen as a clear weakness to him, and thus something that Kai Leng would target. Kai Leng swung and was caught by surprise when Thane countered with blows of his own, along with a high powered biotic back-hand that sent Kai Leng riling. For a moment their eyes locked, and an unspoken acknowledgement passed between them. Kai Leng was giving it his all and in a fair universe, a universe where Thane didn't feel like he was inhaling needles every time he drew a breath; Kai Leng would have been no match for him and they both knew it. But this wasn't a fair universe. Wasn't that exactly why they were here at this point and time fighting an impossible enemy, fighting each other in fact. In Thane's view this cycle wasn't any better than the cycle before it. If it was up to Thane he would have handed it all over to the sea years ago. But that was why Shepard needed to stay alive and people like him were dispensable. Somehow she was able to look someone in the face as despicable as the Illusive Man and still think that they still might be worth saving. Isn't that what had made Thane fall in love with her? That she could look at him, hold his blood stained hands in hers and deem him worth saving…. worth loving? But none of that mattered. All that did matter was that he protect Shepard to the best of his limited ability. And hand-to-hand combat was rapidly draining him of the energy he needed to accomplish this feat.

Thane tried to moderate his breathing as he drew his weapon out and fired at a rapidly approaching Kai Leng. And that's when he saw it, like a bright flash in a dark room. As Kai Leng turned his collar caught in the light and below that collar Thane saw the bright blue tell-tell signs of Cerberus's reaper like modifications. However what Cerberus lacked was time the reapers had to perfect their 'Art'. Kai Leng's modifications had left a gaping area in his neck, and through the cybernetics Thane could see the pulse of Kai Leng's carotid artery. It was a simple enough kill, to severe one's carotid artery, especially when it was so beautifully exposed. Thane's lungs scream at him to end the fight quickly, and something primal tells him that he will enjoy the spray of Kai Leng's blood on his face as he kills him. Thane re-holsters his weapon and glides towards Kai Leng in one smooth motion of muscle and sinew. His ears pick up the disgruntled sound Shepard makes as he continues to block her shot in the same moment his eyes focus on what Shepard would call Kai Leng's 'sweet spot'. Thane's arm snacks forward to block the blade, but it wasn't there to block. Thane blinked once in confusion as realization struck that he had miscalculated. Not since his days in training had he ever miscalculated, his body had betrayed him to his disease. As Kai Leng's blade slide into him and Shepard's cry of desperation filled his ears, he knew that this would be the first and last miscalculation he would ever make. And with that thought he slipped unceremoniously to the floor.


End file.
